Led module for illumination systems

ABSTRACT

An LED module for illumination systems is provided that can be installed in and connected to an illumination system in a simple way both electrically and mechanically, and that ensures the greatest possible flexibility with reference to its possible uses. The LED module has a plurality of light-emitting diodes ( 2 ) arranged on a carrier plate ( 1 ), the carrier plate ( 1 ) being provided with at least one electrical connecting device ( 12 ) for electrically connecting the LED module, and with a fastening device ( 5 ) for fastening the LED module in an illumination system.

[0001] The present invention relates to an LED module for illumination systems in accordance with patent claim 1, and to illumination systems having such an LED module.

[0002] It is customary to mount prefabricated illuminating means in a lumina housing when producing luminas. In practice, use is made here of the simplest possible illuminating means modules that can be assembled and installed in luminas without great technical know-how.

[0003] However, previously known illuminating means modules, which use light-emitting diodes (LEDs for short) as illuminating means, require the lumina manufacturer to have special knowledge in the electrical and mechanical fields in order to insert the prefabricated LED modules into a lumina housing and connect them. Thus, for example, LED modules are known that have LEDs arranged on a carrier plate, it being possible for the carrier plate to be optionally broken into predetermined panels in order to be able to vary the module geometry. Electrical contact with the broken individual modules must subsequently be made via a soldered connection.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an LED module for illumination systems that can be installed in and connected to an illumination system in a simple way both electrically and mechanically. Furthermore, the LED module is also intended to ensure the greatest possible flexibility with reference to its possible uses.

[0005] The objects are achieved by means of an LED module having the features of patent claim 1 and having an illumination system with the features of patent claim 11 respectively. Further advantageous refinements and developments of the invention are the subject matter of subclaims 2 to 10 and 12 to 16, respectively.

[0006] The LED module of the present invention has a plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged on a carrier plate, the carrier plate furthermore having at least one electrical connecting device for electrically connecting the LED module, and a fastening device for mechanically fastening the LED module in an illumination system. If a plurality of such LED modules are provided in an illumination system, the electrical connecting devices also serve for electrically interconnecting the individual LED modules, and the individual LED modules can also be mechanically interconnected via the fastening devices. During installation in an illumination system, the LED module according to the invention can be connected and/or fastened to the illumination system in a simple way by means of appropriately designed contact and fastening devices that engage in the electrical connecting devices and/or the fastening devices of the LED module. A large degree of flexibility is ensured at the same time when designing small LED modules, since a plurality of such LED modules can be combined virtually at will and in a simple way.

[0007] Electrically connecting the LED module for power supply and for driving the LED module is preferably performed via a plug-in connector that engages in a corresponding electric and mechanical contacting means of the electrical connecting device of the LED module. The plug-in connector in this case preferably has a means for tightly sealing the electrical connecting device in order to protect against environmental influences.

[0008] Furthermore, the LED module can have a housing that surrounds the light-emitting diodes arranged on the carrier plate and, possibly, further electronic components. Depending on application, this housing can satisfy various IP requirements with reference to its tightness.

[0009] A preferred exemplary embodiment of an LED module further has an optical system for influencing the emission characteristic of the light-emitting diodes. This optical system can be connected to the housing or integrated in the housing, or can also alternatively be connected to the carrier plate.

[0010] If not all the electrical connecting devices provided on the LED module are used during installation in an illumination system, these unused electrical connecting devices can be (tightly) sealed by means of suitable dummy plugs.

[0011] The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of a preferred exemplary embodiment and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0012]FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a carrier plate of an LED module in accordance with the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a schematic of an LED module in accordance with the present invention, in a perspective view from above;

[0014]FIG. 3 shows a schematic of an LED module in accordance with the present invention, in a perspective view from below; and

[0015]FIG. 4 shows a plug-in connector for electrically connecting an LED module in accordance with the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 1 firstly illustrates a carrier plate 1 of an LED module in accordance with the present invention, in a greatly simplified form. Arranged on the carrier plate 1 are a plurality of light-emitting diodes 2 and a control device 4 for driving the light-emitting diodes 2. The carrier plate 1 can be produced in principle from any desired material into which suitable conductor tracks and contact points are worked, or on which the latter are applied. Suitable materials are, for example, conventional circuit-board materials and modern plastics materials. Of course, in addition to the LEDs 2 and the control device 4, yet further electronic or optoelectronic components can also be mounted on the carrier plate 1. Moreover, the LEDs can also alternatively be driven externally such that the carrier plate 1 need not have a dedicated control device 4.

[0017] Electric contact devices 3 on the carrier plate 1 are used to supply energy to the LED module and feed control data. In the simplest case, this electric contact device 3 consists of only two contacts. However, more than two contacts are required for the electric contact device 3 for the purpose of separately driving individual LEDs or LED groups and/or their control devices 4, or for joint connection of a plurality of LED modules.

[0018] As illustrated in FIG. 2, together with a mechanical contact device 7, the electric contact device 3 forms the electrical connecting device 12 of the LED module. A plurality of such electrical connecting devices 12 are preferably provided at various points of the LED module, in order to ensure the greatest possible flexibility when connecting the LED module in an illumination system, or when interconnecting a plurality of LED modules.

[0019] The exemplary embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, of an LED module has a housing 6 that is applied to the carrier plate 1 and surrounds the LEDs 2 and the control device 4 on the carrier plate 1. Depending on the desired application of the LED module, the housing 6 can meet various IP requirements such that the LED module can also be used in unfavorable environmental conditions outside, or in regions of high air humidity. The housing 6 can be designed, for example, by embedding the carrier plate 1 with a suitable, preferably transparent, plastics material. In addition to, or instead of the tight embodiment of the housing 6, the LED module can also be provided with a protective coating, for example made from varnish.

[0020] The mechanical contact device 7 of the electrical connecting device 12 is formed in the case of the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 by means of a recess in the housing that is provided at the electric contact device 3 on the carrier plate 1. The LED module is electrically connected in this case via a plug-in connector 9 that can be inserted into the recess 7 and is detachably fastened therein via a latching device (not illustrated), for example, and whose electric contacts are brought into contact with the electric contact device 3 of the LED module, as is shown in FIG. 3.

[0021] In order to maintain the tight inclusion of the electronic components 2, 4 in the housing 6, the plug-in connector 9 can be provided with a means 11 for sealing the electrical connecting device 12. This means 11 for sealing can be, for example, a circumferential sealing lip on the plug-in connector 9, whose outside dimensions are somewhat larger than the internal dimensions of the recess 7 of the electrical connecting device 12 on the LED module.

[0022] If a plurality of electrical connecting devices 12 are provided on an LED module, of which, for example, only one is used for connecting to the illumination system, it is possible to insert into the unused electrical connecting devices 12 suitable dummy plugs that tightly seal the electrical connecting devices 12 in order to maintain the tightness of the housing 6.

[0023] Instead of the embodiment of the electrical connecting device 12 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, it is also alternatively possible to lead out from the housing 6 cable connections that, on the one hand, are connected to the electric contact devices 3 on the carrier plate 1 and, on the other hand, are connected to a plug-in connector, for example. The cable connections are soldered on the electric contact device 3 of the carrier plate 1 and led out of the housing 6, preferably through a sealed bushing. The plug-in connector constitutes the counterpart for the plug-in connector 9 of the illumination system.

[0024] The electrical connecting devices 12 can be used in a similar way for electrically connecting a plurality of LED modules that are intended to be jointly installed in an illumination system. The electric connections thus executed serve both for supplying energy and for transmitting control data to the individual LED modules such that only one connection need be made from one of the plurality of LED modules to the illumination system.

[0025] In addition to the electrical connecting devices 12, the LED module also has at least one fastening device 5. As illustrated in FIG. 1, this fastening device 5 can be, for example, a hole in the carrier plate 5 into which a pin fits with a press fit or into which (in the case of a threaded hole) a screw is screwed. However, other fastening devices 5 are also conceivable, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the fastening devices 5 can be provided both on the carrier plate 1 and on the housing 6 connected to the carrier plate 1. The fastening devices 5 can be designed as holes, threaded holes, pins, grooves, depressions and the like into which corresponding pins, screws, latching devices and the like engage, in order to fasten the LED module, preferably detachably, in an illumination system. The same fastening devices 5 can likewise be used to connect a plurality of LED modules that are to be installed jointly in an illumination system.

[0026] Furthermore, the LED module can be equipped with a beam-shaping or beam-deflecting optical system 8 in order to influence the emission characteristic of the LEDs 2 on the carrier plate 1. This optical system 8 can be, for example, connected to the housing 6 or integrated in the housing 6. In a preferred embodiment, the optical system 8 is cast in one piece with the housing 6 from a suitable plastics material. Alternatively, the optical system can also be fastened to the carrier plate 1, for example by means of glueing, snap-action connections, a pressing fit or the like.

[0027] The optical system 8 can likewise comprise individual optical structures that are assigned in each case to one or more LED(s).

[0028] The manufacturer of illumination systems can easily fasten the above-described LED module in accordance with the present invention mechanically in an illumination system and connect it electrically via suitable plug-in connectors, for example. The electrical connecting device and the fastening device further provide the user with the option of easily combining a plurality of such LED modules in order to obtain a large degree of flexibility when fashioning the illumination systems.

[0029] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiment of an LED module that is illustrated in the figures, but rather it is possible to undertake some modifications without departing from the scope of protection defined by the claims. In particular, scarcely any limitations exist with reference to the shape, the size and the material of the LED module and its components. Again, the type and the arrangement of the electrical connecting devices and the mechanical fastening devices are not limited to the embodiments shown. Furthermore, it is possible in principle for any desired plug-in connectors or corresponding electrical connecting devices to be used. 

1. An LED module for illumination systems having a plurality of light-emitting diodes 2 arranged on a carrier plate, characterized in that the carrier plate (1) has at least one electrical connecting device (12) electrical connection of the LED module, and a fastening device (5) for fastening the LED module in an illumination system.
 2. The LED module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the electrical connecting device (12) has an electric contact device (3) and a mechanical connection device (7) such that the LED module can be connected to an electric plug-in connector (9) via the electrical connecting device (12).
 3. The LED module as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the mechanical connection device (7) of the electrical connecting device (12) is a recess into which the plug-in connector (9) can be inserted.
 4. The LED module as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the electric and the mechanical connection device (7) of the electrical connecting device (12) is formed by a plug-in connector that is connected to the carrier plate (1) via a cable connection.
 5. The LED module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the LED module further has a housing (6) that surrounds the light-emitting diodes (2) arranged on the carrier plate (1).
 6. The LED module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the LED module further has an optical system (8) for influencing the emission characteristic of the light-emitting diodes (2).
 7. The LED module as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the LED module further has an optical system (8) for influencing the emission characteristic of the light-emitting diodes (2), and the optical system (8) is connected to the housing (6).
 8. The LED module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a control circuit (4) for driving the light-emitting diodes (2) is provided on the carrier plate (1).
 9. The LED module as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fastening device permits detachable fastening of the LED module to the illumination system.
 10. The LED module as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the housing (6) is made from an injection-molded plastic part.
 11. An illumination system having an LED module as claimed in claim 1, a fastening device that constitutes the associated counterpart to the fastening device (5) of the LED module, and an electrical connecting device (9) that constitutes the associated counterpart to the electrical connecting device (12) of the LED module.
 12. The illumination system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the illumination system includes a plurality of LED modules as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, the plurality of LED modules being electrically interconnected via the electrical connecting devices (12).
 13. The illumination system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the plurality of LED modules are also mechanically interconnected via fastening devices.
 14. The illumination system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the electrical connecting device (9) of the illumination system is a plug-in connector.
 15. The illumination system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the electrical connecting device (9) of the illumination system has means (11) for sealing the electrical connecting device (12) of the LED module.
 16. The illumination system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the illumination system further has dummy plugs for tightly sealing unused electrical connecting devices (12) of the LED module.
 17. The LED module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastening device is of a detachable type for detachably fastening said LED module in the illumination system.
 18. The LED module as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the LED module further has an optical system (8) for influencing the emission characteristic of the light-emitting diodes (2), and the optical system (8) is integrated in the housing (6).
 19. The LED module as claimed in claim 5, wherein said electrical connecting device is of the pluggable type.
 20. The LED module as claimed in claim 5, wherein said electrical connecting device is of the detachable type. 